What kinds of health problems affect men and women in Manitoba? Does being male or female make a difference in the health care you receive? These are just some of the questions looked at by a new study from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) at the University of Manitoba.

The answers are varied and extensive. Seventy-four indicators were used to compare the sexes. They included things like: life expectancy, prevalence of various illnesses, use of health care services, and quality of care. Most of the indicators showed that males and females are different, reinforcing the importance of considering the needs of males and females separately in creating health plans and programs.

Most of the major diseases—like high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes—affect both males and females, but to differing degrees, and at different ages. A higher proportion of females had hypertension (25.9 per cent vs. 24.0 per cent), arthritis (22.3 per cent vs. 19.2 per cent), and hip fractures (2.7 vs. 2.2 per 1,000 residents/year). More males had heart disease (7 per cent vs. 4 per cent), heart attacks (7.2 vs. 3.2 per 1,000 residents aged 40+ per year), strokes (4.1 vs. 3.0 per 1,000 residents/year), and diabetes (6.8 per cent vs. 6.3 per cent). Males and females had similar levels of respiratory disease (11.3 per cent vs. 11.9 per cent). The top causes of death were the same for males and females: circulatory disease, cancer, and respiratory illness.

Females saw physicians on average 5.8 times per year, versus 4.5 for males. Once visits for pregnancy, childbirth and other reproductive health issues were removed, the sex difference was reduced (5.1 and 4.3 visits per year, respectively). The story is different for hospital use. There were 155 hospitalizations per 1,000 females, versus 116 for males. But once hospitalizations for reproductive issues are removed, the female rate is actually lower than that for males (101 vs. 110).

The study also examined cardiac care, where previous research has suggested that men are treated more aggressively than women. So this study looked at the situation in Manitoba. After a heart attack, did more males than females get diagnostic and surgical procedures? "Initially it looked like there were higher rates for men than women," says lead author Randy Fransoo. "However, men have heart attacks at younger ages than women, and younger patients are more likely to receive invasive procedures. So it’s not that males get more procedures, it’s that younger patients get more. At every age, female heart attack patients are just as likely as males to receive interventions, like angiography and bypass surgery."

However, females were less likely than males to be receiving recommended beta-blockers following their heart attacks (73 per cent vs. 79 per cent).

Does the health care system respond to need? People living in lower income areas have higher rates of illness. It was therefore reassuring to find they also had higher rates of physician visits and more hospitalizations. So the system works, in that it delivers more care to those who need it most.

This report is the third study by The Need to Know Team, a group funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and directed by Dr. Patricia Martens at the University of Manitoba. The Team is made up of high-level planners from each regional health authority, plus Manitoba Health and MCHP researchers. They realized the importance of having separate results for males and females.

Fransoo says, "We hope this research will assist health planners in tailoring programs and services to meet the needs of all their residents—both male and female."

For more information, contact Randy Fransoo at 204-789-3543.

For a copy of the report, contact Janine Harasymchuk at 204-789-3669.

The report is available online at: http://www.umanitoba.ca/centres/mchp/reports.htm

Below is contact information for the RHAs’ designated spokespersons, and study highlights:

Assiniboine Regional Health Authority

Jody Allan

Manager, Planning &Evaluation

204-759-4527

Brandon Regional Health Authority

Bev Cumming

Executive Director, Planning & Evaluation

204-571-8411

Burntwood Regional Health Authority

Karen McClelland

204-677-5355

RHA Central Manitoba Inc.

Dr. Shelly Buchan

Medical Officer of Health

204-428-2018

Churchill Regional Health Authority

Ken Grant

204-675-8312

Interlake Regional Health Authority

Doreen Fey

Vice-President, Planning

204-467-4748

Nor-Man Regional Health Authority

Sue Crockett

Director of Planning

204-687-1300 Cell: 204-623-0516

North Eastman Regional Health Authority

Bonnie Frith

204-753-2012, Extension 224

Parkland Regional Health Authority

Maggie Campbell

204-622-6233

South Eastman Regional Health Authority

Patricia Fries

Quality/Risk Management & Planning Coordinator

204-424-5888

Study Highlights

Health Status & Mortality

· Females live longer than males: 81.3 years vs. 75.8 years for males.